Coil handling apparatus



4 Sheets-Sheet l Oct 20 1942 E.. M. CHANDLER Erm.

coIIJ HANDLING APPARATUS ATTORN EY OCL 205 1942. E. M. CHANDLER Erm. 2,299,458

COIL HANDLING APPARATUSv Filed Nov. 13, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Edward M. hand/er BY J. astard ATTORNE Oct. 20, 1942.Y E. M, CHANDLER ETAL 2,299,458

COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 13, 1941 4 Sheec...-She' 3 2 Carriage Return yur l Cas-tor 'ATTORNE n Get. 20, 1942.

E. M. CHANDLER ETAL COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 13, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Eg. f2.

` INVENTORS 13 Edward/W mand/er BY Peter J. Casera /eToRN Patented Oct. 20, 1942- conJ HANDLING APPARATUS Edward M. Chandler, Alcoa, Tenn., and Peter J.

Castora, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 13, `1941, Serial No. 418,940

16 Claims.

This invention relates in general to apparatus for handling material in web. strip, and coil form, and it is directed more particularly to apparatus for removing or stripping coiled strip metal from a collapsible reel or drum, but the invention as a whole, as well as various features thereof, is suitable also for use in various other relations wherein handling of coils rapidly and without damage thereto or to the metal surfaces is a primary consideration.

One object of the invention is to provide coil handling and transferring apparatus of improved form with' respect to the manner in which the coils are transferred from one axial coil support to another. Another object of the invention is the provision of cooperative coiling and unloading mechanism for strip metal, Vwhereby a tight wound coll which requires tying to'prevent unwinding may b'e removed from the winding mandrel immediately upon completion of the coiling operation without the necessity of iirst Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in sec- I tion, of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the mechanism showing the same in its operative relation with a strip rolling mill;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, on an enlarged` scale, of the car or truck of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional vview along the Yline VI-VI of Fig. 2, to an enlarged scale:

Fig. '7 is a schematic view and wiring diagram;

Fig. 8 is a view taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale'l showing the coil stripper and the means for effecting lost motion,

tying the coil. Another object is to provide an and to maintaln'the coil in its tight wound condition throughout the stripping operation, and

whereby tying of the coil is eiected subsequent to stripping thereof. ,A further object is to provide means for preventing the inside wraps or turns of the coil extending telescopically during the reel unloading operation. Still another object is to provide an apparatus that is especially adapted for handling highly finished strip metal in a manner affording maximum protection to the metal and its' surface nish. A still further aim of the'invention is the provision of a strip 40 reel unloader of generally simpliiied and rugged construction and of improved operating characteristics and efficiency whereby the unloading time actually required to remove a coil from the reel with careful handling is materially shortencd, and which enables the reel to be put into service for reeling a subsequent strip independently of the return of the unloader to position for unloading the subsequent strip. These and other objects of the invention will become clear from a perusal of the detailed description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a satisfactory embodiment of the invention, wherein one way driving connection between the stripper and the coil supporting car; ,L

Fig. 9 is a plan view, partly in section, of the stripper shown in Fig. 8;

tion; and

Fig. l2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line XII-XII of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale. but showing the presser device in coil holding or clamping position.

In general, the apparatus comprises a reciprocable device or car that is disposed under the drum or mandrel of the coiling mechanism and is movable lengthwise thereof so as to move a coil from the mandrel onto a swinging coil gate that is normally positioned in longitudinal alignment with the axis of the mandrel. A vertically mov able coil support is mounted on the car for movement into and out of supporting engagement with the lower periphery of the coil, and cooperating therewith is an overhanging coil presser member or clamping device that is movable into and out of engagement with the upper periphery of the coil. In the simplest structural arrangement, the overhung hoding device is mounted vertically opposite the coil support on a vertically swingable arm that is journalled on an upright portion of the car. A link connection is provided between the swinging arm and an operating lever that is pivoted on the carriage and also connected to the coil support, the connecting arrangement being such that the holding deviceand' the coil support are moved in ooslte directions by the latter and when Fig. 1 iS a plan View Showing a portion of the 55 moved toward each other are adapted to clamp of the end of the strip during stopping of the I reel, and to hold the coil against self-unwinding during the unloading operation.` As soon as the coiling operation is completed, the mandrel is collapsed so that the coil is then supported by the lower coil support and the unloading operal5 tion is linitiated by actuation of the .carriage traversing means without delaying to tie or wire the coil. To prevent the coil extending telescopically' in case's where an mandrel having a limited collapsing movement is used, a recipro- '0 cable Astripper bar is provided to elect unitary traveling movement of the stripper and the carriage'at the same rate after the stripper engages the coil. In addition, means are provided' to'.

effect remediate return of the stripper to'nor- 25 mal position independently of return of the carriage so that rolling and coiling of the next strip may proceed while the stripped coil is being tied and removed from the coil gate, after which the car is returned to its coil receiving position under the winding drum. I

Referring now more particularlyto Figs. 1, 2, and 3', mechanism is provided for taking up strip metal under tension from a 'stripreducng mill, indicated generally by the numeral I0, the strip 35 being indicated by the numeral Il.l This strip as it leaves the `mill I 0 is wound into a compact Coil I2 upon a power driven reel or drum structure I3, the reel being of the expansible and collapsible type well known in the art in order to facilitate removal of the coil. The reel is mounted on the outer end of a power shaft Il that is carried by bearings I5, only one of which is shown, in a drive frame I6.' The shaft, and consequently the reel, maybe driven by any suitable gearing or driving mechanism (not shown), and for stopping the reel at appropriate times, a. suitable brake mechanism (not shown) may be provided in the usual manner.' Undesirable deection of the reel and the shaft under the powerful strip tension forces usually employed is overcome by the provision of a retractable outboard bearing I'I (Fig. 1) that cooperates with a roller bearing I8 on the free end of the shaft Il.

The length of "the reel is sufcient -to accom-v 55 modate winding thereon of strips of various widths, and the coilsthus formed may be of various diameters, as indicated in Fig. 2, wherein a relatively narrow strip that winds up into a relatively large vdiameter coil is shownl by the 50 chain lines, while a coil of maximum width and of relatively small diameter is shown in full lines. The coil handing mechanism associatedwith the strip reel is designed to handle these coils of varying widths and diameters with equal facility and c5 rapidity- Disposed under the winding drum I3 in a suitable pit I9 is a reciprocable car 20 that carries all the mechanism for clamping and supporting the coil I2 when it is to be moved relative to the 70 reel I3. The car is provided with flanged wheels 2|, or suitable slides Ain lieu thereof, which are arranged to run on guide' tracks 22, the path of movement of the car being parallel to the axis of the reel I3. Means are provided to move the car from coil receiving position to coil unloading position as hereinafter described, but to move the car in the opposite direction a power cylinder 23 is provided. The piston working in this cylinder` is connected through piston rod 24 to a bracket 25 Adepending from the underside of the car.

The car-carries an upwardly movable coil support or elevator 26 which, as here shown, takes the form of a rectangular table or frame 21 that is secured to the upper end of a vertical plunger 28 that operates in a vertical cylinder 29 secured to theframework of the car. Vertical guide or brace rods 30 are secured at their upper ends to the table 21 andare slidably supported in bushed openings in the cars framework, the rods serving to brace the elevator against lateral deection when raised and preventing undue wear between the plunger 28 and the cylinder wall. The lower ends of the rods 30 are provided with enlargements or washers 3l that serve as stops to limit vertical movement of the elevator past a predetermined point and, consequently, prevent complete movement of the plunger out of the cylinnormal position, or,\if desired, suitable stop blocks may be provided to engage with'the car or its wheels to stop the car in its normal position.

Since it is intended in the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated that the elevator shall be raised into engagement with the strip metal coiling on the reel before completion oi the coiling operation, and while the' reel is rotating, coil engaging rollers 32 are provided on the elevator, and the periphery of these rolls is preferablyV of such material as rubber, fabric, or other brous materials as will not scratch or mar the surface finish of the strip metal. Asshown more clearly in Fig. 4, a pair of such rollers is provided, the rollers being laterally spaced and arranged with their axes parallel to the axis of the reel so that the coil of strip metal will be cradled on the rollers and rotation of the coil with respect to the elevator permitted without damaging or scratching the strip metal.v Each roller may be of any suitable construction and, ashere shown, includes a supporting rod 33 xed at its ends in plates 34 of the frame 21, on which rod a tube or sleeve 35 is rotatably supported by suitable bearings 36 at each end. The tube carries a spacing bushing 31 on either side of which is assembled a.

series of vdisc elements of suitable non-scratching' and the periphery of a coil when the rollers are in engagement with the coil, when desired.

Disposed in vertically opposed relation to the coil support 26 in overhanging relation to the reel I 3 is a coil presser or holding device 39 that pref- V erably includes a pair of rollers 40 similar to the rollers 32, and arranged in substantially the same manner for engaging the upper periphery of the coil. The rods 4I of these rollers are secured to a substantially Hyshaped frame which, as shown more clearly in Fig. 12, consists of end plates 42 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the ends of a channel member 43. Ihe plates 42 are centrally pivoted on pins 44 in the bifurcated lower ends of hollow plungers or sleeves 45 that are slidably or telescopically received in vertical bores formed in the ends of a pivot block 46. Each plunger carries a central supporting rod 41 that extends upwardly through the top wall of the pivot block 46 on the outer end of which are provided adjusting and locking nuts 48. A compression spring 49 is provided for each plunger, the springs yieldably maintaining the H-frame and formed as an integral part of the car framework.

the rollers carried thereby downwardly in extended position relative to the ,pivot block 46, the extended position of the H-frame being adjustable by means of the nuts 48.

Likewise, the H-frame and the rollers carried thereby are disposed in balanced relation on the pins 44. It will be seen that since the axis 44 and the pin 5| are disposed in right angle relation, rocking movement of the rollers 40 transversely and longitudinally of the reel axis is provided. whereby the rollers 40 automatically accommodate themselves to the configuration of the ceiling or completely coiled strip metal when the rollers are in engagement therewith'. For example, in Fig. l2, the clamping position of the rollers with respect to the completed coil is illustrated, but when subjecting the incomplete coil to holding or clamping pressure while the -tail`4 end of the strip is still in the mill, the rollers 4B assume a tilted position, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 3. End to end variation in the coil thickness may be accommodated by rocking of the rollers and block 50 on the pin 5l.

The arm 5G adjacent the pin 5I is formed with reinforced wings, 52 that bear against the sides of the pivot block 46 and firmly hold it against transverse twisting relative to the arm under the drag of the strip on the rollers 46.

At its other end, the arm 50 is provided with an integral hub portion formed with a crank arm 53 and an oppositely extending arm 5 4 on which a counterbalancing weight 55 is adjustably carried. The hub of the arm is supported on a shaftl 5S that is journalled in suitable bearings in the upper end of an upright support or standard 5l that is rigidly connected to the car 26 at the front end thereof, that is, adjacent the free end of the reel i3. The standard 6l may suitably be formed as an integral part of the car structure. As'shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the standard 51 is offset to one side (mill side) of the axis of the mandrel I3 and is provided with a straight edge 58 along `its inner side. which may serve as a gauge stop for a swingingr coil gate 59 Yto be hereinafter described.

Pivotally connected to the crank arm 53 is an adjustable connecting rod 60 whose lower end is l' pivotally connected at 6| to one end of a lever 62 which is supported on a shaft 63. Links 64 are secured to the ends of the shaft 63 and these links are rockingly supported on a shaft 65, as best seen in Fig. 5, which is supported at its ends in bracket Plates 66 that are secured to or The other end of the lever 62 is forked and straddles the vertically movable platform'26, and the respective arms of the fork are journalled on tr'unnions 61 projecting laterally from the sides of the-movable platform. This arrangement utilizes the vertical cylinder 29 and its plunger 28 as the prime mover for actuating the 1ever'62, and it will be seen that the rod 60 is connected to the lever 62 and arm 50 in such a manner thatl the coil support or movable platform-26 and the coil holding device 39 are moved in opposite directions and preferably through equal distances. Consequently, when iiuid pressure is admitted to the 'lower end of the cylinder 29, the coil support is moved upwardly to bring its rollers 32 into engagement withthe underside of the coil I2, and the coil holding device 39 is moved downwardly and the upper side of the coil engaged by the rollers thereof, the links 64 enabling the lever 62 to shift lengthwise and accommodate itself to the straight line movements of the trunnions 61.

However, for reasons as will hereinafter apl pear, the strip engaging rollers 40 are normally positioned in advance of or closer to the axis` of the reel than the rollers 32 when the' arm 50 and lever 62 are in raised and lowered positions, respectively. i

As shown in Figs. 2 and .'7, the hydraulic mechanism for actuating the elevator 26 is carried by the car 20 and includes a tank or reservoir 68, a pump 69 driven by an electric motor 10, a pressure relief valve 1l, and a pair of normally spring closed, solenoid operated control valves 12 and 13. Valve 12, when its solenoid is energized, admits fluid pressure from the pump 69 to the .vertical cylinder 29 through the conduit 14. to raise the elevator 26, while valve the usual pressure relief by-pass so that it may l' be continuously driven by the motor 10 without breakdown during the periods that the valve 12 is in closed position. The pressure relief valve 1I is connected to the conduit 'F4 and operates to bleed the pressure in the conduit when the pressure conditions therein exceed the pressure for which valve il is adjusted. The valve is ad- .justed in conformity with the weight of the coil to sustain a pressure that is but slightly greater than the pressure required to support the coil on the elevator, and when coils of different weights are being handled, the valve may be adjusted accordingly in order to eliminate subjecting the reel to uncontrolled and excessive elevator forces. All the foregoing hydraulic mechanism is mounted upon the car so that it is only 'necessary to provide a flexible cable containing the power lines for the motor lll and the control wires for the solenoids 12 and 13. This arrangement eliminates the need for using high pressure hydraulic lines running to the car and the necessary slip joints therefor which are usually subject to considerable leakage and require constant maintenance.

Heretofore it has been customary in ceiling resilient and work hardened strip metal under tension on a reel to complete the coiling operation, stop the reel, and then tie the coil to prevent looseness developing in the coil by unwinding-of the strip, all prior to stripping of theA tied coil from the roll. In this practice, winding mechanism provided with external strip conning cage sections, strip holding belts, or other devices have been employed to confine the trailing end of the strip as it leaves the rolling mill or other strip processing mechanism, and to hold the' coil against unwinding prior to tying, after which the confining structures are required to be moved to non-interfering positions relative to the tied coil and stripper mechanism, and the stripper mechanism then actuated to push the.

' tail of the strip is completed while the coil is thus firmly held so that no looseness can develop in the coil and the tail is held against whipping or flapping about wildly until rotation of the reel the metal surfaces, particularly when at final stages of metal processing the surfaces are highly finished. i

These results are attained by the instant invention in the following manner. Referring to Fig. 7, behind the reel I3, aligned with the rolling mill I8, is a belt wrapper 11 that is mountedupon a` car 18 for movement into and out of cooperative relation with the reel, the car being mounted on suitable tracks and movable therealong by a hy-` draulic cylinder 19. This belt wraper is used to initiate winding of the strip IlV around thereel block I3` andis retracted or moved out of wrapping position as soon as several wraps of the strip As the elevator 26 moves upwardly, .the holding device 39 moves downwardly, and since the rollers 49 'are in advance of the rollers 32, they engage the upper periphery of the coil, and continued movement of the elevator toward the coil causes telescoping movement of the sleeves in the block 46 with further compression of the springs 49, whereupon the rollers 40 are forced to bear against the upper side of the strip with a rm clamping pressure under pressure of the springs 49. When the rollers 32 of the elevator engage or are about to engage` the underside of the coil, the switch 15 is released, whereupon the valve 12 closes and traps the liquid in the cylinder 29, thus locking the cylinder in its coil supporting position. During lowering movement of the arm 50. the H-frame rocks on the pins 44 to a tilted position by reason of one roller 49 engaging the taut tangent portion of the incoming strip while the other roller engages the coiled portion of the strip on the other. side of the vertical plane of the coil.

Thereafter, as the rear end of the strip leaves the mill rolls, the loss of tension in the strip permits the roller frame to swing to horizontal is stopped in the usual way. Immediately, the reel is collapsed and the weightof the coil is thereby transferred to the coil support 26. If the reel is of the eccentric collapsible type, it is preferred to stop the same with its radially movable segment down so that after the reel is collapsed.v the coil support and the coil thereon may be.

moved upwardly a slight-distance by momentarily depressing the switch 15 to raise the coil relative to the reel and effect substantially uniform clearance between the inside surfaceof the coil and the periphery of the reel. However, by reason of the manner of stripping the clamped coil, as hereinafter described, it is n'ot essential that such upward movement be imparted to the coil. At no time is the lcoil free of the clamping or holding force imposed thereon by the spring pressed rollers 40 so that unwinding of the strip and looseness developing in the coil is effectively prevented. Hence, the coil supported and clamped between the opposed coil engaging members may be stripped or unloaded from the reel without delaying to tie the coil. y

Stripping is effected by movingthe car to the right, as viewedin Fig. 2, but in order to prevent possibility of the inner turns of the coil telescoping by frictional engagement with any part of the reel I3, a stripper 8l which encircles the lower semi-circumferencel of the reel is provided, the stripper being first lmoved into engagement with the adjacent end of the coil, and thereafter unitary traveling movement being imparted to the stripper and the car. Normally, the stripper is, held in a retracted position adjacent the sup- 'ported end of thereel so as not to interfere with winding of the strip and is moved along the reel by/a traversing cylinder 82 (Fig. 2) whose piston is connected to'pston rod 83 that is connected to the stripper. Rearwardly extending rods 84 (Figsi 8 and 9) secured to the stripper and slidably supported in the frame I6 are provided to guide the stripper. The stripper is supported on feet or slide shoes 85 that are slidable along supporting rails 86 that are suitably supported along the sides of the pit I9. At diametrically opposite sides of the reel, the stripper'is provided with blocks 81 that 'are spring pressed against the sides of the reel, the blocks being flush with the coil engaging face of the stripper and serving to engage the innermost coil turns and prevent telescoping thereof'. l

Below one of the blocks 81, a wide faced plunger 88 is provided andprojects forwardly of the face of the stripper to engage thefend of the coil ahead e'nds to a shaft l9|! journalled inv bearing bosses position, as shown in Fig. 12, and winding of the on the rear side of the stripper. The lowery end of the rocker arm is biased rearwardly by springs 9|. in spaced bearing bosses suitably secured or integral with 'the stripper. The shaft 92 carries a pair of dogs 93 and 94 extending upwardly behind the rocker arm and a pair of forwardly extending pawls 95 and 96 which are provided to cooperate with rack bars 91 and 98 carried by the car 29. Dog 94 and pawl 95 are secured to a sleeve 99 loosely mounted on the shaft A92 for rotary movement independently of the dog 93 and pawl 96 which are fixed to the shaft. Normally Below the arm 89, a shaft 92- is journalied springs 9| hold the arm 89 and the dogs 93 and 94 back far enough to maintain the pawls disen gaged from the rack bars. One rack bar is mounted on the car with its teeth opposite the f moved in one direction thereby. Leaf springs carried by the arms 39 bias the dogs 93 and Sli against the rear side of the arm B9.

Following clamping and supporting of the coil,

in the above described manner, fluid pressure is admitted to the rear end of the stripper cylinder 82 from a motor driven pump 01 (Fig. 7 through a three-way valve i 02,thereby moving the stripper 8| along the collapsed mandrel and relative to the car (since the pawls 95 and B6 are raised) into engagement with the adjacent end of the'ccil. Depression of the plunger 88 through its contacting the end of the coil rocks the lower end of the arm 89 away from the dogs 93 and 96|, thereby allowing the pawls 95 and 96 to drop onto the rack bars, one pawl moving into effective engagement with its rack substantially in synchronism with the initial contact of the face of the stripper with the end of the coll. As this inter-engagement between the stripper and the car is established automatically, the stripper movement is continuous .and thereafter the car and the stripper move in unison, during which movement the stripper bears against all the turns of the coil so that axial telescoping of the coil is prevented.

As the coil leaves the end of the mandrel I3, it encircles and moves along the coil gate 59 actuated by the stripper or the car. -In response to actuation of the switch y the stripper is automatically returned immediately to its normal' position independently of return of the car, thereby conditioning the reeling equipment for receiving the succeeding strip. This mode of operation will now be described with reference to the control system shown in Fig. 7.

High pressure and return hydraulic lines are indicated by the numerals ||2 and ||3, respectively, the former being continuously supplied with fluid under pressure from pump |0|, excess pressure being bled from the line by a pressure relief valve H. The piston rod end of the stripper cylinder 82 is connected directly to the line ||2 by branch pipe H5, which pipe also is con- 7 nected tothe normally closed Vinlet or pressure port of valve |02 through check valve H6. The exhaust port of valve |02 is connected through check valve ill to 'the return line H3 and is normally open to the outlet port of valve |02, which valve is connected to the other end of cylinder 82 by pipe HB. When valve |02 is actuated, communication is established between its pressure and outlet ports and its exhaust portis closed, whereby fiuidpressure is admitted through pipe ||8` to the rear end of cylinder 32 and the piston therein advanced under the pressure dierential at its opposite sides. It will be seen that with these connections and with valve |02 in normal position, the stripper 8| is held in normal retracted position bythe constantly applied uid pressure, and that upon advance movement of the stripper by actuation of the valve the stripper will be retracted automatically whenever the which comprises a horizontal beam |03 supported at one end on an upright shaft |04 for swinging movement, the beam normally being disposed'in coil receiving position in longitudinal alignment with the axis of the mandrel. A straight edge |05 is secured to one side of the beam |03 for cooperating with the gauge stop 58 of the car upright 51, thus enabling accurate positioning of .the beam in aligned relation with the reel. A series of coil supporting rollers 06 are provided along both sides of the beam, which rollers are mounted on rods |01 carried by the beam, and project above the upper edge of the beam, the peripheries of the rollers being tapered along curved lines corresponding substantially to theV curvature of the innermost turn of the coil so as to have adequate bearing contact therewith when the coil is lowered into engagement with the rollers. The upright shaft |04 is carried by a pedestal base |08 that spans the pit I9 and is suitably anchored to the mill oor, as best seen in Fig. '6, thepedestal being located beyond the outer limit of car travel. Covering the pit between the car and the pedestal is a movable lloor section |09 that is secured at one end to the car 20 (Fig. 2) and is slidably supported on lateral rails ||0 for movement under the pedestal when the car'is advanced.

Traveling movement of the car and the stripper is automatically terminated when the coil has been moved entirely clear of the mandrel into substantially the position shown by the broken lines in Fig. 2, by operation of a normally closed limit switch (Fig. 7) which is positioned to be but this valve is manually actuated, and its presvalve |02 is restored to normal position. The belt wrapper cylinder 3S is connected to the hydraulic lines H2 and H3, and controlled in the same manner, and the same numerals primed have beenapplied to the corresponding valves and pipe connections.

The valves l02 and V|02 are'eleetrically controlled and may be of any suitable type. Ihe type shown are known as thruster operated valves wherein an impeller pump H5 driven by a motor |20 supplies a. low pressure4 iiuid for raising the movable element of the Valve, which element drops lbv gravity or under light spring pressure to normal position when the impeller motor is de-energized.` Also, the carriage cylinder 23 is provided with a three-Way valve |2|,

sure and exhaust ports are connected to the lines 'H2 and |I3, respectively, through check valves |22 and |23. Its outlet port, which inv |2| is actuated to admit fluid pressure tof the.

pipe |24.

The stripper 8| and the belt wrapper 19 are electrically interlocked so as to prevent operation of either one when the other is out of its normal retracted position. The interlock includes normally open limit switches |21 and |28 in the control circuits for the valves |02 and |02', switch |21 being held in closed position by the belt Wrapper in its retracted position, and switch |28 being held closed by the stripper in its retracted position. In Fig. 7, the belt wrapper 11 is shown in wrapping position.A Hence, the stripper can- The electrical energy for energizing the motor is supplied from lines L| and L2 of a three-phase current supply. It will be seen that the circuit for theznotor |20 extends through the switch |28 which ,is now in closed position due to retraction of the stripper,A but that if the stripper should be accidentally moved, the circuit would be broken by operation of the limit switch and the belt wrapper automatically moved to its retracted position by movement of valve |02' to normal position so that the constantly applied press/ure to the front end of the cylinder 19 would be effective to move the piston therein rearwardly. When the belt wrapper has completed its function normally, it is automatically returned .to retracted position by releasing the push but-- ton switch W and the switch |21 is closed thereby.

Thereafter, the automatic cycle of coii stripping movement can be initiated, subsequent to operation'of the opposed coil clamping vand supporting members in the manner heretofore described, by depression of a pushA button switch S which energizes a control relay |29 through a circuit extending from line LI, contacts of switch S, winding of relay |29, conductor |30, closed contacts of switch |21, and conductor |3| to line L2. Relay |29 is maintained in closed position by a holding circuit which it completes.

mallyclosed limit switch HI, contacts |32, winding of relay |29, and through the interlock switch |21 to line L2 by way of conductors |30 and |3I. This holding circuit merely shunts the switch S and the switch may be released by the operator. The valve |02 is thus moved t'o and maintained in operative position so long as the relay |29 is held energized to maintain the circuit for the motor |20.

Operation of valve |02 in this manner permits flow of pressure fluid from line l2 to the rear end of the cy1inder'02, the fluid in front of the piston in said cylinder being displaced and forced through pipe ||5 where it flows to the rear side of the piston with the uid from the line H2, whereby the stripper is advanced to move the coil |2 and the car 20 in the manner heretofore described. During advance movement of the car 20, the iuid in front ofthe piston in the car retracting cylinder 23 exhausts through the pipe |24 past check valve |25, valve |2I, and check valve |23 to the drain line H3. The unitary traveling movement of the stripper and the car automatically terminates when the limit switch is opened, -as heretofore mentioned, which results in opening the holding opens the circuit for the motor |20. Conse' quently, the. valve |02 drops to its normal position and interrupts flow of -pressure through pipe H8 and connects this pipe tothe exhaust line, whereupon the stripper immediately begins its retractive movement by the constantly applied pressure to the front end of the stripper cylinder, thus leaving the clamped coil and the car in unloading position at the coil gate. During initial movement of the stripper away from the coil, the pawlsI 95 and 96 merely ratchet with respect to the rack bars until the plunger 88 becomes fully extended, whereupon the springs 9| rock'the arm 89 so that the dogs '93 andy 94 are turned backwardly and the pawls 95 and 96 lift- During coiling of the succeeding strip, the y preceding coil at the coil gate is tied so as to hold it inv tight wound condition and then transferred or lowered onto the coil gate. The coil is released by depression of switch 16 which actuates valve 13 and allows fluid in cylinder 29 to exhaust to the tank 68, whereupon the elevator 26 is lowered and the coil clamping device 39 moved upwardly to their respective normal positions, after which the switch 16 is released. The coil gate is then swung into alignment with a suitable coil receiving conveyor, storage platform, or the like and the tied coil I2 pushed olf the coil gate onto the conveyor, storage platform, or the like. After the coil is thus removed from the coil gate, the gate is returned to normal position in alignment;l with the reel; and the car 20 is then or previously returned to its normal position under the reel by manually actuating the valve |2| which admits fluid pressureY to the front end of the cylinder 23, the carriage stopping in its normal position in the manner heretofore described. f

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the operations of tying the coil, unloading the tied coil from the coil gate and'return of the car are performed during coiling of the succeeding strip, and that rough handling of the coil throughout the entire unloading operation is eliminated. It has been found that with this mode of operation which is effective with all kinds of strip metal,

a material saving/.in unloading time has been accomplished which has resulted in a greater output by the processing equipment for a given period of time or days operation, A

By reason of the rotatable support alforded the coil by the sets of rollers 40 and 32, the foregoing apparatus may also be employed to deliver the tightlywound coils to an unwinding block and permit the coil to be rotated while still clamped so as to be entered into a rolling mill and the coil thereafter released, thereby preventing looseness developing in the coil during the stages of a feeding operation when the coil is untied and a suilcient' length of strip is uncoiled for entry into 'a mill.

It isto be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the foregoing apparatus and construction of the parts thereof,

, and substitutions of equivalent mechanism efcircuit for the relay |29 and it de-energizes and 75 fected without departing from the spirit ofthe invention and the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. In a coil handling apparatus of the class and clamp the coil thereby, and means for moving said frame structure to move the coil from one axial coil support to another.

2. A coil handling apparatus of the class described, comprising a pair -oi vertically opposed members movable toward and away from each other, into and out of engagement with the periphery of a coil disposed therebetween, rotatable means on the opposed faces of said members for engaging the periphery of said coil, a horizontally movable frame structure carrying said members, -means on said structure for moving said members toward each other, whereby to rotatably clamp and support the coll, and means for imparting traveling movement to said frame structure to transfer the coil from one axial coil support to another.

3. In a coil handling apparatus of the class described, a pair of vertically opposed coil engaging devices,operating means for said devices for moving them into peripheral' engagement with a coil forming therebetween, means for supporting each of said devices for movement in a' direction parallel to the axis of the coil and means for moving said devices in said direction while in engagement with said coil. o

4. A coil handling apparatus of the class described, comprising a pair of vertically opposed members movable toward and away from the periphery of a coil rotatably supported therebement with the coil upon upward movement of said coil support.

7. In a coil handling apparatus of the class described, an upwardly movable coil support, a reciprocable carriage on which said support is mounted, means on the carriage for actuating said coil support into supporting engagement with the lower periphery of coiled strip material, a presser member mounted on the carriage in position Aoverhanging said support and the coil engaged thereby, means operatively connecting said support with said presser member to move the latter downwardly into lholding engagement with the coil upon upward movement of saidcoil support, and means normally yieldably maintaining said presser member in position to engage the upper periphery of the coil prior to tween, rotatable means on the opposed faces of said members for engaging the periphery of said coil, a horizontally movable frame structure carrying said members, means on said structure for moving said members toward each other, whereby torotatably clamp and support the coil, and means for imparting traveling movement to said frame structure to transfer the coil from one axial coil support to. another, said rotatable means on the upper opposed member being resiliently mounted thereon for vertical movement with respect thereto and being disposed in position to engage the upper side of said coil before said rotatable means on the lower member engages the underside of the coil.-v

` 5. In a coil handling apparatus of the class described, an upwardlymovable coil support. a reciprocable 'carriage on which said support is mounted, means on the carriage for actuating said coil support into supporting engagement with the lower periphery of coiled strip material, a presser member mounted on the carriage in position to engage the periphery of the coil at a point upwardly removed from said support, and means for actuating said presser member into said engaging position prior to completion of the coiling operation.

6. In a. coil handling apparatus of the class described, an upwardly movable coil support, a reciprocable carriage on which said support is mounted, means on the carriage for actuating said coil support into supporting engagement with the lower periphery of coiled strip material, a presser member mounted on the carriage in position overhanging said support and the coil engaged thereby, and means operatively connecting said support with said presser member to move the latter downwardly into holding engageengagement of said support with the lower perphery of the' coil.

8. Unloading apparatus for a strip coller having a collapsible mandrel on which strip material is Wound into a coil, comprising, in combination, a stripper movable along the Vmandrel to strip the coil therefrom, means for moving the stripper, a carriage adjacent the mandrel, guide means for the carriage paralleling the axis of the mandrel, means on the carriagefor supporting and clamping the coil prior to and during stripping thereof oi the collapsed mandrel, means for imparting unitary traveling movement to the stripper and the carriage after the end of the coil is engaged by the stripper, and means operative to return the stripper independently of return movement of the carriage.

9. Unloading apparatus for a strip coiler having a collapsible mandrel on which strip material is wound into a coil, comprising in combination, a stripper movable along the mandrel to strip the coil therefrom, a carriage under lthe mandrel and movable parallel to the axisthereof, means on the. carriage movable into engagement with the upper and lower periphery of the coil on the mandrel for supporting and clamping the coil prior to and during stripping thereof 01T the collapsed mandrel, means'for connecting the stripper and carriage for unitary movement in a direction to strip the coil from the mandrel, means actuated by engagement of the stripper with the adjacent end of the coil for actuating said connecting means, whereby the carriage andthe coil are moved by the stripper to a'position beyond the free end of the mandrel, and means actuated in response to movement of the coil to said position for automatically returning the lstripper independently of return movement of thevv carriage.

10. Unloading apparatus for a strip coller having a collapsible mandrel on which strip material is wound into a coil, comprising, in combination, a carriage under the mandrel and movable parallel to the axis thereof, vertically opposed means on the carriage movable into clamping and supporting engagement with the periphery of a coil on the mandrel, means on the carriage for actuating said opposed means into supporting and clamping engagement with the coil for unloading movement, a'stripper cooperating with the mandrel and disposed rearwardly of said carriage, meansfor moving the stripper relative to the carriage into engagement with the adjacent end of the ,coil to impart unloading movement thereof the coil, a projecting plunger on the coil'engaging face of the stripper, and means actuated by said plunger for moving said latch member into engagement with said rack whereby said carriage and the coil are moved by continued moveaxis of the drum to receive a coil stripped therefrom, a carriage movable between said drum and said gate in a path located therebelow, vertically opposed devices, including coil engaging rollers,

mounted on the carriage and normally disposed in spaced relation to the upper and lower periphery of the coil of strip material being Wound on the drum, means for moving said-opposed means toward the axis of said drum to engage the periphery of the strip material being Wound thereon with said rollers asthe end ofthe strip approaches the coiler mechanism, the coil being supported'on the rollers engaging its lower periphery when the drum is collapsed, and a stripper movable along the drum and arranged to engage the adjacent end of the coil and the carriage and simultaneously move them into unloading position at said coil gate.

, 12. In combination, a `coiling mechanism having an expansibleand collapsible winding drum and means for rotating the same, a swingable of the coil as tlie end of the strip approaches the coiler, a laterally disposed upright on the forward end of the carriage, a supporting member mounted on said upright for movements in'a vertical i pla-ne on which said pressure roller is mounted,

means on the carriage for simultaneously movingl the coil support upwardly and the pressure roller downwardly to support and-clamp the coil therebetween, said coil support including rollers for rotatably supporting the coil, and means for moving the carriage from` its position under the winding drum to its position under said coil gate.

V coil gate disposed in'horizontal alignment with 13. A strip handling apparatus comprising a rotatable reel on which the strip material is wound into a coil, a coil support movable upwardly into supporting engagementl with the coil on said reel, a. coil clamping member movable downwardly into clamping engagement with the coil forming on the reel, and means for moving said support and said clamping member axially of said reel in unison to remove the coil'therefrom.

'14. A strip handling apparatus comprising a rotatable reel on which -the strip material is wound into acoil, a coil support under the reel and movable upwardly into supporting engagement withthe coil on said reel, a coil clamping member above the reel opposite the coil support and movable downwardly into clamping engagement with the coil forming on the reel, and means for moving said support and-said clamping member axially of said reel in unison to remove the coil therefrom, saidcoil support and said clamping member being retractable into said under and over positions, respectively, relative to the reel during winding of a succeeding strip of material on the reel.

15. Handling means for coiled strip metal that requires tying to maintain the strip in tight wound condition comprising in combination, a collapsible reel on which the strip is wound into a coil, a swinging arm normally disposed in axial alignment with said reel to aiord interior support to the coil when stripped from said reel, vertically opposed devices including rollers mounted for movement into supporting and clamping engagement with the exterior periphery of the coil forming on said reel. means for actuating said opposed devices, and means for moving said opposed devices simultaneously whilein clamping and supporting engagement with the completed coil in a direction to carry the c'oil from the reel to said swinging arm.

16. In a coil handling apparatus of the type described, a pair of vertically opposed devices including rollers movable into and out of peripheral contact with a coil disposed therebetween, a

. reciprocable car carrying said devices,` hydraulic means and electrically actuated control devices therefor entirely mounted on the car for effecting said movements of said coil engaging devices, and electrical means for actuating said control devices from a point remote from said car. EDWARD M. CHANDLER. PETER J. CASTORA. 

